The baseball calendar has many benchmark dates: Opening Day, the All-Star break, and the start of the postseason. But it’s the trade deadline where the directions of so many teams are clearly defined. Those with aspirations for the playoffs can use a player with experience to assist in the push for October. Here are eight who are able to achieve that. […]

No player gets to the Hall of Fame by chance. All that are fortunate enough to be elected have earned their way in (just as some have earned exclusion). Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza, the two headliners of Sunday’s induction ceremony, each proved that there is no set path to Cooperstown. Griffey was the No. […]

As the All-Star break drifts further into the rear view mirror, the games that make up the second half of the regular season take on added significance. For the teams with aspirations to play deep into October, each needs its key contributors to perform well over the final two-plus months. But some play an even […]

As is the norm of every baseball season, the first half of 2016 has seen its share of surprises and disappointments. It’s one thing to make observations on events now firmly in the baseball season’s rear-view mirror. It’s another to predict what will happen going forward – when the staying power of the contending clubs […]

For both teams and players alike, a solid first half does not reflect an entire season. No hardware is actually distributed at the year’s midpoint, but there are a select few certainly worthy of recognition for outstanding performances thus far. The ultimate individual goal, of course, is the MVP — for which there has been recent debate as to what criteria best […]

MLB’s trade market is usually filled with players that can be beneficial to playoff-hopeful teams. However, there are times in which the players themselves can also be helped by the change. It could be due to dissension with the current organization, the need to play in a new environment or a veteran simply deserving to suit up for a contender and […]

With the third full month of the MLB season coming to a close, gone are the thoughts of hot and cold starts, as it’s all about the present now. Division leaders are emerging and we’re now able to begin distinguishing the pretenders from the contenders. Many of the players on this list are now showing […]

The pressure for a manager to win in the big leagues is as high as it’s ever been (though it’s not yet at the level of the NFL). These eight are in danger of getting the boot by the end of the season (or perhaps even sooner). 8. Bob Melvin His first three full seasons […]

Who knows if Pete Rose will ever enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame. For now, he is permanently enshrined in the history of the team he is most associated with and the city where he grew up. On Sunday at Great American Ballpark, Rose had his No. 14 retired by the Cincinnati Reds prior […]

No Houston Astro has completed the cycle since 2013. Jose Altuve was on his way to accomplishing the feat Saturday night in Kansas City. Through five innings, he had already racked up a single, a double, and a three-run homer. In the sixth, he laced a ball into the right-center field gap. The speedy All-Star raced […]

It’s a given that most professional sports teams are tight-lipped when it comes to organizational decisions. John Coppolella, the general manager for the Atlanta Braves, provided a refreshing change. In a Twitter conversation with fans on Friday afternoon, Coppolella openly answered questions that ranged from personnel moves to tanking to food preferences. Despite being obvious sellers […]

For the second time in four games, Jayson Werth delivered a walk-off hit for the Washington Nationals. His most recent came on Wednesday evening against the Chicago Cubs — capping off on a thrilling 5-4, 12-inning victory in D.C. It’s been a standout week for the 37-year-old outfielder. He’s posted a .421 batting average over the past […]

Since MLB expanded its playoff format to 10 teams back in 2012, the trade market has weakened a bit as a result. Only a select number of teams are deemed as “sellers” these days, which makes the demand for these eight valuable assets that much stronger. 8. Chris Carter (Milwaukee Brewers) Milwaukee got Carter on […]

What has Hideki Matsui been up to since retiring? It probably includes taking plenty of batting practice. The former outfielder looked like an everyday big leaguer with his home run at the Old Timers’ Day game at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. Facing David Cone, Matsui crushed one to the second deck in right field — and […]